Max Verstappen criticises the new hybrid rules, while Norris defends F1’s new direction

A fierce divide has opened at the very top of Formula 1, with four-time world champion Max Verstappen condemning this season’s radically redesigned cars as “not a lot of fun” and “just not Formula 1”.

The Dutch driver has taken aim at the sport’s sweeping 2026 regulation changes, which introduce new chassis, tyres, sustainable fuels and heavily revised hybrid engines. Central to his frustration is the increased emphasis on energy management, which he believes is reshaping the sport’s DNA.

“The right word is management,” Verstappen said, reflecting on the new era. “But as a driver, the feeling is not very Formula 1-like. It feels a bit more like Formula E on steroids.”

Under the revised power unit regulations, engines now operate with a near 50-50 split between internal combustion and electrical power. Electrical output has tripled compared to last season, yet battery size remains largely unchanged. As a result, drivers must carefully manage charge levels throughout a lap to extract optimum performance.

The effect on driving style has been immediate and visible. Drivers are lifting and coasting at the end of straights, adjusting braking inputs to maximise recovery, selecting lower gears in corners to harvest more energy, and even avoiding full acceleration out of the final corner before qualifying laps.

Verstappen believes this constant balancing act moves F1 away from its traditional roots. “As a pure driver, I enjoy driving flat out. And at the moment, you cannot drive like that. There’s a lot going on,” he explained. “A lot of what you do as a driver, in terms of inputs, has a massive effect on the energy side of things.”

For Verstappen, the concern is philosophical as much as technical. “I just want normal driving, just how it should be, without having to think, ‘if I brake a bit longer or less, or one gear up or down’, that it so heavily impacts the performance on the straights,” he added.

His comments come as Red Bull embark on a major new chapter, building their own engine for the first time this season. Early pre-season testing has shown promise, but the broader debate over the direction of the sport continues.

Not everyone shares Verstappen’s bleak assessment.

Reigning champion Lando Norris, who edged Verstappen to the 2025 title by just two points, offered a far more upbeat perspective. “A lot of fun,” Norris said of the new machinery. “I really enjoyed it.”

Norris acknowledged the challenge but dismissed complaints. “We get paid a stupid amount of money to drive so we can’t really complain at the end of the day,” he said. “It’s different. You have to drive it in a different way and understand things differently and manage things differently.”

He added pointedly: “Any driver can go and find something else to do. It’s not like he has to be here.”

Senior figures within Formula 1 have urged caution, warning against judging the biggest regulatory overhaul in the sport’s history too early. The 2026 rules not only reshape engines but also introduce smaller, lighter cars with reduced downforce and narrower tyres. A new straight-line mode reduces wing drag to aid energy recovery, further changing race dynamics.

Energy recovery now occurs in four primary ways: braking, running the engine at high revs in corners, lifting and coasting at the end of straights, and running the electric motor against the engine at full throttle.

While F1 does not operate under the same fixed energy constraints as Formula E, batteries now cycle between high and low charge multiple times per lap, intensifying the management aspect.

Verstappen has even hinted at broadening his racing horizons. He revealed he is working towards competing in the Nürburgring 24 Hours this year in a GT car. “Looking at it now, at least maybe I can drive flat out there, without looking after my battery,” he said.

Whether the sport’s new hybrid era proves revolutionary or divisive remains to be seen. For now, the grid’s most successful recent driver has made his position unmistakably clear.